Chevening Southeast Europe British Library Fellowship 2027 (Fully Funded)

Applications are officially open for the 2026–2027 Chevening Southeast Europe British Library Fellowship, a prestigious and fully funded research placement hosted by the British Library. This unique 12-month fellowship is supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in partnership with the British Library, offering mid-career professionals an opportunity to contribute to one of the world’s most significant knowledge institutions.

Unlike traditional academic scholarships, this fellowship is designed as a hands-on professional placement, allowing selected fellows to work directly with historical collections while producing meaningful research outputs.

Why This Fellowship Is Important

The British Library houses extensive Southeast European collections, including printed books, journals, and bibliographic records dating from the 18th to the 20th century. However, many of these materials remain under-catalogued or difficult to access due to outdated classification systems and incomplete metadata.

This fellowship was created to address that gap.

Selected fellows will play a key role in:

Improving cataloguing systems and metadata accuracy
Enhing accessibility of Southeast European collections
Contributing to global research visibility of Balkan historical resources

For professionals from Southeast Europe, this is a rare opportunity where regional expertise and language skills are not just valued—but essential.

Fellowship Benefits

The Chevening Southeast Europe British Library Fellowship provides a comprehensive funding package, including:

Full financial support for 12 months (January 2027 – December 2027/January 2028)
Monthly living allowance
Return economy airfare to the UK
Additional allowance for fellowship-related activities
Up to £1,000 for approved research or project expenses

Fellows will collaborate with curators, cataloguing specialists, and digital research teams, contributing to outputs such as:

Data analysis reports
Academic or institutional blog publications
A formal collection guide published by the British Library

Eligibility Requirements

This fellowship is highly competitive and tailored for experienced professionals. To qualify, applicants must:

Be a citizen and resident of one of the eligible countries:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, or Turkey
Demonstrate advanced proficiency in at least two Southeast European languages
Hold a postgraduate degree (or equivalent professional qualification)
Have a minimum of five years of professional or academic research experience
Be currently employed or enrolled in a PhD program (non-UK/EU/US institutions)

Preferred Qualifications

While not mandatory, strong applicants typically have:

Experience working with large datasets or digital research tools
Knowledge of historical printed materials (18th–20th century)
Background in library science, archival work, or digital humanities
Familiarity with cataloguing standards such as MARC21, RDA, and Library of Congress Subject Headings

Who Should Apply?

This fellowship is best suited for:

Librarians and archivists
Digital humanities researchers
Cataloguing and metadata specialists
Scholars working with Southeast European collections

It is not designed for early-career applicants or those seeking general study opportunities. Instead, it targets professionals who already have strong technical and regional expertise and are ready to contribute at an advanced level.